Brake for railway-cars



(No Mbdei.

C. MATTHEWS.

BRAKE FOR RAILWAY CARS.

No. 532,889. q iatergoeiJan. 22; 1895.

WITNESSES.

lNl/ENTOI? ATTORNEYS,

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UNITED STATES PATENT "OFFICE.

CHARLES MATTHEWS, OF TURTLE CREEK,ASSIGNOR TO JOHN R CUTSHALL AND CALVIN G. KELLEY, OF DRAYOSBURG, AND MURRY MOO. RAMALEY, OF TURTLE CREEK, PENNSYLVANIA.

BRAKE FOR RAl LWAY-CARS.

,SIECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 532,889, dated January 22, 1895. Application filed January 15; 1894 Serial No. 496,933. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES MATTHEWS,

a citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Turtle Creek, in the county of Alle- 5 gheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brakes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in car brakes, and more particularly to that class adapted for contact with the rails.

The object of the invention is to employ I 5 such peculiar construction in a rail brake whereby a car, or train of cars may be readily brought to a stand-still in a comparatively short space of time; furthermore, to provide means whereby the said brakes shall be held 20 firmly to the rail when applied.

The invention further contemplates novel means whereby the shoes shall be held normally out of engagement with the rails by the automatic action of the attachment.

The invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more particularly described and specifically pointed out in the claims. A

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, wherein like letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views, in which- Figure 1, is a plan view of a street railway car equipped with my improved brakes. Fig. 2,.is a side View of the same. Fig. 3, is avertical sectional view of the casing, 850., taken on a line centrally of the clot.

In the drawings A, indicates the car frame; B, B, the trucks having wheels B B, journaled therein.

0 indicates the operating rod which is composed of sections coupled together, as shown 45 at o, c, c. Said rod carries arms D, D, having formed on their lower extremities cams d. Said arm also carries at its lower extremity a pind in the slots (1, of the casing E; said casing forming guides e, e, for the shanks of the brake shoes F. The operating arms D are pivoted to the casings by the pins e while the pins d are secured to the arms and to the shanks of the brake shoe, thus raising and lowering said brake shoes when-the arms are swung on their pivots.

The rods 0, are provided at one end with chains 0, adapted to wind over the shaft 0 to which is mounted a beveled gear 0 meshing with a smaller miter gear 0 having a vertical shaft 0 to which is arranged an operating wheel 0 The other end of the rod 0, is slidingly mounted in the frame of the car and inclosed by a coil spring G. The rods 0, are connected together by arms or equalizers H.

Operation: When the hand wheel is rotated, the chain will wind around the shaft and opcrate the levers, causing the cam to lower the brake shoes against the rail, by reason of the connection between the shanks of the brake shoe and the cam. The equalizers or arms will tend to operate the brake on the opposite side, as will be apparent. When the hand wheel is rotated in the opposite direction the brake shoes will release their engagement with the rail, the springs will retract and the brake shoes assume their normal position.

When the brakes are applied to the rail a yielding pressure will-be exerted on the brake shoes through the arms and all the jar, &c., will thus be taken up.

The brake shoes may be removed when the parts become worn and new ones replaced.

It will be noted that various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the general idea involved.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a car brake, the brake shoe supported from the truck by arms and casings, each arm being provided with a cam which is pivoted to the casing, and suitable means to operate the arm, substantially as described.

2. In a car brake, the combination of the brake shoes, and means for operating the brake shoes, the operating arm pivoted to the brake rod, substantially as described. 10 casing and to the shanks of the brake shoes In testimony whereof I affix my signature and springs to retain the shoes normally elein presence of two witnesses.

5 vated, substantially as described. CHARLES MATTHEWS. 3. In a car brake, the combinationwith the Witnesses:

brake rods connected by equalizers, of the H. O. EVERT,

arms pivoted to the casing and carrying the F. S. APPLEMAN. 

